1985
by Missuss
Summary: All Brittany wanted was a happy family and a supporting husband. But what she got was out of touch teenagers and a husband desperatly trying to win back his glory days. Britt can't take it anymore. Will Alvin be able to win her back or lose her forever?


**1985**

"**One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us." ~Michael Cibenko**

Brittany Miller never imagined that she would end up being a housewife. The girl with so much ambition and talent saddled with housework, kids, and of course, a husband. You would think that she would be hating life right about now. Sure, her loaded schedule could be hectic… soccer games, school plays, dance recitals, science fairs… and Brittany has to do it all by herself. Her husband? Now that's where things get messy.

Alvin Seville asked Brittany to marry him on their second official date. Spontaneous? Certainly. But as Alvin later told Brittany, that's how he rolls. Brittany never regretted her decision of saying yes to the chipmunk of her dreams. That's just how it worked out with the two… a sweet love story between lifelong rivals.

First, when the couple was just days out of college Brittany found out they were expecting twins. Apparently the honeymoon had paid off. Eight months and eleven days later Carman Seville was born. As the girl grew up she became more and more outrageous. It started when she was five and cut all of her auburn hair off thinking she looked more 'punk' that way. Obviously, seeing the five year old act like this made Brittany and Alvin worried about the future, but they had another little girl to take care of. Carman's little sister by three minutes and forty-two seconds was named Alisha, meaning noble, was more calm and sweet compared to her sister. She reminded her parents of their own younger siblings.

With only three years of parenting under their belts, Brittany found out that she was pregnant again. Alvin smiled and promised that everything was going to be alright. Besides that, Alvin was about to be the father of his first little boy. And for the occasion, the chipmunk was dubbed Alvin Junior Seville. The boy grew up among his sisters in utter disgust of each of them. Seemingly not interested in girls at all, Brittany worried that her son was… different to say the least. But she needn't worry for when her son stepped in St. Nicolas Montessori School young AJ turned in a miniature Mr. Heartthrob with all of the little girls in jumpers and pigtails.

Last of all, at least the couple hoped, was the birth of their littlest girl. Lillian Seville named by her aunt Jeanette Seville. Lil, as she came to be called by friends and family alike, grew up embracing curiosity. There wasn't a thing that the little girl didn't want to try. Including mixing crackers, peanut butter, fruit loops, and fish oil in a blender and serving it to her father in bed. It wouldn't have been a problem if the dish wasn't his favorite red cap.

Brittany opens her eyes to the intense light of the morning sun that washes over the Californian suburb. Brittany groans, rubbing her eyes as she sits up in bed. Alvin, snoring loudly beside her pays no attention to his wife's movement, and Brittany, frankly, doesn't seem to care in slightest as she slips out of bed and walks towards the bathroom. She pauses at the bathroom door, looking at a plain black suit that her husband would have usually worn to work. Brittany touches the red tie looped around the hanger with the lightest of touches then looks back at Alvin. _He gave all of it up for what?_ Brittany thinks to herself remorsefully. _Fame? To relive the glory days? Wake up Alvin!_

Brittany never had the nerve to tell her husband this herself. He seemed so happy up on that stage, rocking to his favorite tunes as fans cheered him on. Brittany herself had only gone to one concert since her husband's career had been lifted from its obscurity. His brothers had left their singing careers behind after high school claiming that the glory days were over, and at the time, Alvin had agreed, turning his life into something more important. He fell in love, had himself a big family and got a well-paying job. When Brittany had been standing in the seats of Alvin's first concert she had thought that it was a one-time thing. But Alvin got what he was looking for that night – a contract.

Now this morning was like every other. Brittany would wake up to see her husband sprawled out next to her only to wake up fighting a hang-over caused by the after party of any given show. _What is he thinking?_ Brittany shakes her head, gripping the doorknob to the bathroom with white knuckles. _We aren't kids anymore! _And with that, Brittany slams the door behind her.

After a showering, Brittany steps into her bedroom to get dressed with a towel wrapped firmly around her. Pulling out a pair of dark jeans and a loose red button up shirt Brittany groans at her appearance. Defiantly not the woman she used to be. She shrugs, throwing her wet auburn hair into a rough pony-tail and heading down the stairs.

Breakfast sizzles on the stove filling the house with the sweet scent of morning. Brittany smiles to herself and flips the eggs over once… twice. Multitasking, Brittany lifts a mop out of the bucket and lets it glide across the linoleum. Turning up the radio, she taps her foot letting her hips sway from side to side. "So what? I am a rock star, I got my rock moves! And I don't want you tonight-" Brittany sings softly along with the radio before being cut off completely by her youngest daughter.

"Mommy!" Lil screams at the top of her lungs like she does every morning. Brittany watches the little girl with a smile as she runs down the stairs and towards her mother. Brittany absently glances down at the mop, then back at her daughter.

"Lil!" she tries to stop her, but without avail. The little girl's feet slide out from under her and she slides out of control across the kitchen floor, screaming the whole way. Her shoes finally find a dry spot in the linoleum making the five year old come to a complete stop, making her upper body lurch forward. Brittany cringes as Lil's face collides with the floor. "Lillian!" Brittany rushes over to daughter, carefully. "Are you hurt, are you alright?" Brittany grips her shoulders, helping her sit up. Besides a pink skid mark running up the bridge of her nose, the girl seems to be intact. In fact, she smiles, making Brittany shake her head and laugh. _Kid's tough as nails._

Slowly, the more groggy teenagers file into the kitchen and take their usual spots at the kitchen table waiting for their mother to present them with hearty breakfast. That, or her yelling at them that she isn't their maid and they have to get something themselves.

"Mom?" AJ's voice says emotionlessly. Yet something was off about him… was it, sarcasm? Before Brittany can press the issue with her son, he smirks. "Your eggs are burning."

"Sh-" Brittany stops herself, glancing at Lil who doesn't seem to notice her mother's almost slip-up as she attempts to chat non-stop with Carman who merely holds her head in her hands, plugging her ears with her pointer fingers to block out the annoying child.

Brittany dumps the breakfast in the sink, making the frying pan make a loud crashing sound as it hits the bottom of the sink. Gripping the side of the counter, Brittany tries to calm her nerves and looks out the window at the street of the quiet, safe neighborhood that the Seville's had decided to call home. More than one of these family existed actually. Since every home in the quant suburbia was nearly identical, Brittany could see her plump little sister dishing up breakfast for her own kids. Even with Brittany's four kids, Eleanor had surpassed all three families in the reproduction department. Theodore and Eleanor Seville made a headcount of seven every morning. Every time Eleanor would end up pregnant, Theodore would receive a big slap on the back from his big brother Alvin who would say, "Way to go buddy! _Again!"_

Brittany glowers at her sister as she watches her perfect life through her own kitchen window. Glancing up at the clock, Brittany groans. Half past eight… the kids were going to be late for school… again. Who can blame her? If she actually trusted her husband once in a while the four of them wouldn't be going to school at all. Brittany turns on her heels, making her wobble on the slippery floor. Composing herself, she reaches into the refrigerator for some yogurt and throws one to each child who catches the plastic cup expertly. Well, everyone except for Lil. The plastic cup lands on the clean floor, popping open the top, making pink yogurt splat onto the white floor.

Tears form at the corners of her eyes as she stares down at the mess. "No, no, no!" Brittany frantically tries to console her daughter. "It's alright! I'll clean it up later, just eat what you can and we'll leave," she tries to sound cheerful but in the back of her mind all she can think is: _how could this morning get any worse?_

"No!" Lil stamps her foot. "I want daddy to fix it!" Tears spill over and onto her cheeks. "I want _him_ to make it all better!"

The older kids give each other a knowing look as Brittany swallows hard. "Daddy will fix it while you're at school," Brittany lies, knowing that her husband would make no effort to help her at all today. But the answer seems good enough for Lil since she picks up the yogurt and starts to head for the front door.

"_Mom_!" Carman whines from behind her. Brittany's shoulders tense as she waits for her daughter's complaint. "What the hell? This is original! Do you know how much _fat_ is in here?"

"I am _aware_," she says between her teeth. "Now get in the car and _eat it_!" Brittany balls her hands into tight fists, trying to calm her nerves as she takes slow and steady breaths. Before Carman can argue, Alisha takes hold of her sister's arm and drags her out of the house, AJ following closely behind with his hands in his pockets trying to look cool as usual. But despite himself, a worried expression came across his face as he looks back at his steaming mother.

Once the kids leave the room, Brittany angrily kicks over her mop and bucket, sending sudsy water across the floor. "Dammit Alvin!" Brittany screams. The house responds with silence. "Why won't you just help me?" But without waiting for any recognition Brittany speeds off towards the front door, looping her purse over her shoulder as she walks out of her house and into the heavy morning air.

Brittany walks hurriedly to the bright yellow SUV parked out front and climbs into the driver's seat next to AJ. She glances back in the rearview mirror to glance at her three daughters sitting in the very back of the car. Lil sits between her older sisters with an excited smile on her face while her sister's look less than pleased to be going to school. Brittany smiles at her little girl before turning the car on and throwing it into reverse.

Brittany backs out of her driveway and straight across the street and into Eleanor's. Three of Eleanor's kids walk out of the front door with backpacks slung over their shoulders as their mother waves goodbye to them. Each of them nod in response, too tired to think of anything to say to their mother. Two boys and a girl climb into the mid-section of the car and greet their aunt with a simple "Morning Aunt Britt."

Brittany smiles into the rearview mirror in response making the three of them smile back despite themselves. They truly were Theodore's flesh and blood.

Turning out of their driveway, Brittany can't help but watch Eleanor turn to her husband lovingly. She adjusts the green tie around his neck, hands him a sack lunch and kisses him softly on the lips before waving goodbye to him as well. Brittany's jaw tenses as she speeds down the bustling road.

Brittany waits at a stop light impatiently as the silence grows within the car. Brittany glances back at the kids only to find them doing the usual. Lil is braiding Jillian's (Eleanor's daughter) hair while her two boys gaze down at handheld video games with glassy eyes. Carman sits silently filling her nails while Alisha intently texts everyone she knows. Brittany glances over towards the passenger seat. AJ absently looks out the window propped up by elbow.

A honk from the minivan behind her makes Brittany jump in her seat. Brittany lets a few curses course through her thoughts at the driver behind her before speeding off towards the high school.

"Actually mom," Carman's voice pipes up from the back seat. "Can you just drop us off here?"

"But we're still two blocks away," Brittany looks at her daughter over her shoulder.

"Well," Carman sighs, obviously trying to pull out another one of her world famous excuses. "You know what they say about kids in this day and age? We need our exercise!" She smirks. "Especially AJ."

AJ rolls his eyes and opens the passenger side door and climbs out and onto the sidewalk without another word and with his hands in his pockets and a red cap sitting proudly atop his head. Carman shrugs and climbs over Lil and her cousins to make it to the door and walks behind AJ with Alisha to the high school.

After dropping off the other boys at the middle school, Lil climbs over the seats to sit next to her cousin. They giggle and laugh about simple kindergarten things. "Mommy!" Lil's voice shrills over rumbling of the concrete under the tires. "Guess what!"

"Chicken butt," Jillian laughs, making Lil burst out in laughter.

Shoving her cousin lightly, Lil laughs "I wasn't asking you!"

"What?" Brittany laughs at the girls behind me.

"I know where babies come from!" she exclaims with her arms wide open. She slams on the brakes, making both girls lurch forward in their seats.

"Who told you that?" Brittany turns completely around in her seat to look her little girl in the eyes. Her expression spells out puzzlement as she stares back at her mom's icy blue eyes.

"D-d-daddy," she says, tears spilling onto her cheeks for the second time that morning.

"Really?" Jillian asks before Brittany can say anything else. "My daddy said that I couldn't know till I was older… but mommy says that it has something to do with this big white bird called a stork and God and-"

"Nope!" Lil exclaims, wiping the tears off of her face as another smile breaks through. "It's all just sex!"

"Sex?" Jillian looks at Lil warily. "What is-"

"That's enough!" Brittany breaks up the conversation. Brittany speeds off towards the elementary school with a vengeance. _I'm going to kill him._

"_ALVIN FUCKING SEVILLE!" _She screams as she enters the house. No one answers her as she stomps up the stair to their bedroom. Brittany swings the door open looking around the room with her hands pulled into tight fists. Alvin lies on his back with his mouth hanging wide open. "Wake up you disgusting pig!" Brittany screams at him, leaning forward on her toes. He doesn't move a muscle. "Ugh!" She throws her arms in the air in frustration.

Running down the stairs, she snatches her bucket off of the kitchen floor and opens the sliding glass door to the backyard. With furry controlling every emotion, Brittany fills up the bucket full of hose water. But she doesn't stop there. Stomping back into the kitchen, minding the slippery floor, Brittany pulls armfuls of ice into the bucket before heaving the thing back up the stairs.

Watching Alvin sleep a moment longer makes Brittany sick to her stomach. Without thinking twice, Brittany flings the bucket onto his stomach. He nearly jumps five feet in the air before flinging over the side of the bed and onto the floor.

"What the-"

"You bastard!" Brittany screams, tears threatening to break loose.

"Britt?" Alvin raises his off of the floor and stares dumbfounded at his wife. "What did-"

"You told our daughter about sex?" she questions in a scream. Before Alvin can recall any such event Brittany stamps her foot and screams some more. "Lil is only five Alvin! What the hell were you thinking?" Alvin opens his mouth to answer but Brittany does it for him. "Oh, I know! You _weren't _thinking! Like usual!"

"Brittany!" Alvin yells, slowly getting up off the floor. "Calm down!"

"No!" she cries, tears finally leaking down her round cheeks. "I will not _calm down_! I need my husband back!" She gestures violently towards her heart. "I need the man I fell in love with seventeen years ago! I need him _here_!"

"Britt, I-"

"So you might as well just go!" Brittany says, standing up straight. "Because you are not him," she sighs. "The Alvin Seville that I fell in love with would have been there for his kids not… chasing some wild dream to be a rock star again! Alvin… this is madness! Do you know how much it hurts? And I'm not just talking about me here. I see the look on _your_ son's face every day as he tries to be the man of the house like you can't!"

"AJ?"

"Yeah, that's right," she looks him right in the eyes. "When's the last time you've been to one of his soccer games?"

"AJ plays soccer?" Alvin asks absent mindedly. When 'that look' comes across Brittany's face Alvin reels back. "I mean-"

"AJ is on the varsity team of his high school as a freshman!" Brittany's voice says, beginning to sound more and more like a plea rather than a curse. "Every Thursday night when that boy comes out of the locker room to see that his dad isn't there for him… do you understand how much it hurts him?"

"Brittany, I am so sor-"

"Don't say sorry to me Alvin!" Brittany crosses his arms. "All _I _want is for you to leave us. I don't need you! You never help me… Hell, you barely even care about your own children!"

Without another word, Alvin swallows hard at the sight of his wife's crushed face. Not only did she look frustrated, mad, and pissed… but she also looks sad, and hurt. Alvin sighs, letting every emotion drop as he walks out of the room.

Brittany watches the bedroom door close before leaning against the bedroom wall. _How could I be so stupid? Falling in love with him was the worst mistake of my life! I should have seen this coming!_ Brittany brings her forward before snapping it back towards wall making a loud 'thud' echo through the lonely room. All Brittany could do was slide down the wall, hugging her knees as she lands on the carpeted floors of her bedroom. And with that, Brittany Seville sobs thick, remorseful tears.

"I just don't get it," Alvin says later, watching a man in a crisp white polo shirt swing a golf club at a little defenseless ball. The man lets out a frustrated grunt as the ball hooks to the right of the fairway. "We were happy before… I mean, I'm still crazy about Britt but now out of nowhere she hates me!"

"Well, maybe you two had too many kids," Simon replies as he watches his colleagues run through the slow golf game. "I'll be Brittany's at her wits end with all four of them to look after."

"That couldn't be it!" Alvin scoffs, waving off his little brother. Simon himself had only created one son who was spoiled rotten. Even though all kinds of chemistry sets and biology text books were shoved in the little boy's direction he pushed it all right back in his parents' faces. Instead, he spent his time eating junk food, watching monster movies, and _not_ doing his homework. Alvin was blamed for this even though Simon's genes are what brought the boy to this state. It all ran in the family. "Brittany seems to be handling herself just fine!"

"Maybe that's just your perspective," Simon says, pulling a driver out of his organized golf bag. He inspects the head of the golf club with one eye shut before making a few practice swings. "When's the last time you talking to her about it?"

"Well-"

"And I mean not when she yelled at you and you listened," Simon says without looking at his brother. "I mean when you two talked back and forth… on good terms."

"A year… maybe," Alvin casts his eyes down towards the short grass.

"What?" Simon asks, startled.

"I don't have time!" Alvin argues before Simon can accuse him of anything else. Alvin was fully aware just how messed up his marriage is. That he would ever admit it? Well, that's another story.

Simon shakes his head with his mouth pulled into a hard line as he looks at his brother. Anger burns in Simon's veins as he thinks about his older brother's idiocy. Jeanette might get mad him on any given day just for not calling him when he was late for dinner. Simon couldn't imagine not talking to his wife for a whole year. I mean, a _year_!

"Alvin," Simon grits his teeth. "You're doing the same job you had when you were _eight_! You have all the time in the world. Now, if you actually did something important I could understand that," Simon crosses his arms, letting the club rest against his hip.

"Don't you pull that one on me!" Alvin points at his brother, getting right in to Simon's face.

"You had a great job!"

"I was a fucking accountant!" Alvin fumes, watching his brother stare back at him with daggers.

"Gentlemen?" the polite voice of Simon's boss makes both chipmunks stop their argument for the time being. He gestures towards the empty tee box and Simon steps up, glaring over his shoulder at his brother.

Alvin huffs, turning on his heel and walking towards his car and away from the golf course. Clenching and unclenching his fists, Alvin makes it towards his shiny black car. Letting his head rest on the diver side window, Alvin lets out a slow sigh. _What have I done? _He thinks to himself. _I just wanted it all back… to feel good about what I do every day. Music meant so much to Brittany in the past… why didn't she understand anymore? _Alvin lifts himself up, opens the car door and climbs in gripping the steering wheel tightly. _She does! Somewhere inside that stressed out mother of four she still cares… I just have to show her!_

Without wasting any more of his time, Alvin throws the car into drive and speeds off towards home.

Brittany walks through the brightly lit grocery store pushing her half full shopping cart tiredly down the bread isle. Eleanor walks ahead of her, pushing her own cart as she throws in three loafs of bread without even looking at them.

"-and so I told him that he was absolutely crazy! I mean, who puts colors into the white load of laundry," Eleanor chuckles to herself in the empty grocery store. "I mean, really!"

"Who cares?" Brittany finally groans after listening to her sister go on and on about her wonderful life. Watch her bouncing figure flit through the store as if she was walking on sunshine.

"Huh?" Eleanor turns around, her short bob haircut ruffling as she watches Brittany intently. Brittany raises her eyebrow, proving that she was annoyed. "U-uh okay… I see how it is, I'll just shut up," Eleanor turns and starts to push her cart towards produce.

"Ellie!" Brittany pushes her cart after her, jumping on the back like a little kid and letting it glide her towards her baby sister before letting her feet bring the cart to a halt. "Eleanor, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that!"

"Well, it sure looked like you did," hurt blending into her soft sing song voice as she dumps a couple packages of pre-mixed salads into her cart before turning towards fruit. While Eleanor inspects a plastic container of strawberries, Brittany comes up next to her.

"I just have a lot on my plate El," Brittany frowns, leaning against her cart, defeated. Eleanor nods her head, understanding exactly what Brittany meant. Not only had she experienced raising seven rowdy chipmunks, but she knew all about Alvin and Brittany's losing battle with love.

"More marriage issues hun?" Eleanor glances at Brittany from the corner of her eye as Brittany stares absently at her baby sister. Brittany nods. "Well, maybe you two need to startup date night again. That used to work for you two in the be-"

"Until he started ditching me for his so called 'work,'" Brittany interrupts Eleanor. "Everything was great when he wasn't wallowing in his past. We're all adults now! It's time to grow up!"

"I now it might seem hopeless but… You need to have faith Brittany," Eleanor sighs. "I mean, when Theodore didn't make it to be a chef, I saw part of him die inside. I'm sure it's like that for Alvin as well… music is everything to him. But eventually Theodore moved on and now he provides for us publishing cook books by himself and authors around the world!" Eleanor smiles proudly. "Just don't let this rock star thing get too out of hand."

"Thanks Ellie," Brittany squeezes her sister's shoulder and wheels her cart away from Eleanor and towards the check-out stands, Eleanor following closely behind her big sister.

Once outside, the girls load their things into the back of Brittany's SUV and head for home down the dark streets of their familiar neighborhood. It was sort of a tradition for the sisters to go grocery shopping late at night every Friday night. They beat the rush of all of the other hungry families living in suburbia.

After dropping off Eleanor, Brittany backs into her driveway and waves again to Eleanor from across the street as she starts to lug her groceries into the house. Brittany laughs to herself, but her smile falters as Theodore comes out of the house and takes his wife's groceries out of her arms while piling three more bags into his arms for her. She shakes her head, saying something with her hands on his cheeks before the two share a brief kiss and head into the house. _Why can't I have that?_ Brittany slumps her shoulders.

Shaking her head, Brittany turns away from the street and towards my own home. Something catches her eye as she look at her house. A red clad chipette in ripped jeans and a red belly shirt was scaling the side of her house with the help of the trellis that lined the side of the house.

Brittany rolls her eyes and walks into the house. She walks pas t her husband sleeping on the couch as Lil lies in his chest wearing his famous red cap. Brittany gives the couple a half smile, imagining Lil climbing onto her father looking for some sort of comfort… something she thought that Alvin would never be able to provide for his children.

Brittany walks past them and up the stairs and down the hallway. Passing AJ's room, she sees him buried in a stack of homework and a computer screen lighting up his tired features. "Get some rest," Brittany leans in. "Big game tomorrow," she smiles, grabbing the door knob.

"Sure thing mom," he sighs, closing the laptop and flopping onto his back. His phone vibrates and he pulls it out of his pocket to check his texts. Brittany sighs, closing the teenager's room before making her way further down the hall.

Brittany opens the door to her girls' room to find Alisha sprawled out across her bed with a laptop in front of her typing away like a mad woman. She stares intently at the screen as letters, words, and paragraphs form across the computer screen.

"What are you doing?" Brittany asks, sitting on the end of her bed. Alisha kicks her legs in rhythm with the radio playing next to her, making the legs of her pink pajamas fall to her knees.

"Writing," she replies not looking up at her mom.

"What about?"

"Nothing," she says. Something seems to click in her mind as she looks up at her mom horrifically. "Mom!" she exclaims as if she just noticed that Brittany had walked into the room. "U-uh, I'm feeling really sick… you should really leave before she – I mean, it gets contagious!"

"I know Carman's coming hun," Brittany squeezes her daughter's shoulders. Alisha face plants into her quilt as the sound of the window opening cuts through the silence. Alisha tended to avoid confrontation… especially from her older sister.

Carman doesn't look at the room around her as she climbs through the window, her stiletto heels clicking on the wood floors of their bedroom. "Oh my God Ally!" Carman says excitedly. "Tonight went exactly as planned!" Brittany rolls her eyes, crossing her arms as she stares at her daughter. And without knowing what she was getting in to, Carman bend over to take off her shoes only to reveal Brittany's worst nightmare.

Written in loopy writing read the name _Daniel James Kilzgaurd _across Carman's lower back.

"Carman!" Brittany yells, sending her daughter reeling. She falls sideways in shock, and then looks up at her mom from the floor. "What the hell? A tramp stamp? Really?"

"Mom-"

"Don't talk to me!" she yells, grabbing her daughters arm as she pulls her towards the stairs roughly. Alisha follows them out, and AJ comes out of his room just as the three of them pass by. Seeing mascara run down his sister's face as she was being dragged off by her mother makes AJ smirk. He silently puts his hands in his pockets and follows them out of the house and into the car.

Within minutes, the four of them arrive at the tattoo parlor. Brittany storms into the parlor, listening to three chimes of the bell attached to the door go off as each of her children follow each other into the small shop. A big but friendly man sits behind the counter looking over a picture he had received from another customer.

Brittany slams her fists onto the counter in a rush of violence. "What the fuck is wrong with you!" she screams, making her children glance at each other.

"You're really did it this time," AJ smirks at his sister. He receives a well-deserved glare in return.

"Ma'am?" the man behind the counter says calmly, not understanding entirely what she was talking about. The man had only been in this business for a couple years and was still learning the ropes. Never in his career had a woman come after him like this and frankly, he didn't get why. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Oh, you know exactly what the problem is!" Brittany screams, making other tattoo artists and customers in the shop turn their heads towards the fuming mother. "You gave my seventeen year old daughter a tattoo! And not just a tattoo but a tramp stamp of some boy's name!"

"Excuse me?" the tattoo artist looks at her baffled. He peers over her shoulder to see a girl he recognized with her head hung low. He remembered her name being Carman Seville. He knew that she was a year short of legally getting a tattoo but she had given him a form! That's right. "Ma'am, no need to put my head on the chopping block," he says, making Carman's eyes widen. She knew exactly what the tattoo artist was going to do. _Mom and dad's marriage is bad enough! Don't make it worse! Please! _Carman inwardly begs the man, but he doesn't seem to get the memo. He pulls out a piece of paper and hands it over to Brittany. "I received a full parental agreement to give this young lady exactly what she asked for."

"What?" Brittany snatches the form out of the man's big hands and reads it over. It looked almost like a legal document claiming that the shop would not be responsible for any medical issues or the punishment of a minor receiving a permanent altercation to his/her body. But what caught Brittany's eye was the sloppy signature on the bottom of the sheet. _Alvin Seville. _

Without another word, Brittany storms out of the shop and back into her car. She sits in the driver seat a while clearing her head as the kids climb into the back. She glances at Carman's shame ridden face and sighs. "Who… who is Daniel?"

"My boyfriend," she says, almost inaudibly.

"Boyfriend?" Brittany repeats, not able to understand why Carman hadn't told her about the relationship between her and this mystery boy. She would always tell Miss Miller about her love life and problems whenever such things came up. Hurt washes over Brittany as she thinks about the relationship between her and her own daughter. "Honey… Carman… why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"You have so much going on… I just didn't want to wreck things by having you worry about me," Carman says, seemingly on the verge of tears. Never in Brittany's life had she ever seen her daughter cry. Even as a baby the strong willed girl merely threw tantrums and screamed a lot. "Besides," she cries. "You and dad already have problems and I thought telling you about a boy would make things worse… add tension."

Alisha and AJ glance at each other, not sure of whether or not they should also tell their mother about their own relationship status'. Alisha gives her brother a sharp glare when he shakes his head and pipes up. "Mom, I have a boyfriend too," she says boldly. "Not that I would have the nerve to tattoo his name on my back but-" Alisha receives a punch in the arm from her sister. "Ow!"

Brittany holds her head in her hands as she thinks about her kids… they were all living a separate life from her. She felt like she didn't even know them anymore. Taking in a shaky breath, Brittany drives home.

Pulling into the driveway, the three teenagers watch their mother warily as she leans forward to rest her forehead against the steering wheel. AJ swallows hard and ushers his sisters out of the car and towards the dark house.

Anger filling his very being, AJ storms into the house and slams the door behind him. His sisters stare back at him in confusion from the middle of the staircase. AJ glares back at them and moves past the stares and into the living room. He felt like screaming at his dad. _What is wrong with you! _He looks down at his father sleeping soundly on the couch with Lil sprawled across his chest. _God, I don't care if you're not here for me… but your wife? Mom deserves better than that! _AJ sighs, letting his shoulders drop. _What's the point? I'll never get through to you…_AJ bends over and picks up his sleeping sister. Her eyes flutter open, but quickly close when she catches sight of her big brother. Resting her head on his shoulder, she falls back into a deep sleep.

Brittany wipes the last of her tears from her face as she opens the driver side door and walks up to the door. The house is silent as she locks the front door behind her. She walks silently towards the stairs, but stops short as she watches Alvin sleep for a moment or two. Shaking her head, full of rage again, Brittany stomps back down the stairs and stands in front of Alvin with her hands on her hips.

"Alvin!" She hisses, watching for any sign of life. Alvin's eyes flutter open and he smiles at his wife. It was time to make it all up to her. Help her to see the love in music again… that he could be the father he used to be. But her face makes him falter. "God dammit Alvin…" she mutters, holding the bridge of her nose.

"Brittany, we need to talk," he says calmly. Brittany sits on the coffee table across from him and holds her head in her hands. "Hey," he puts a hand on her knee comfortingly. "Talk to me Britt."

"I'm done talking Alvin!" Brittany looks at him with fire in her eyes. "I've been trying to _talk_ for a year now but you never seem too interested in listening."

"Brittany, just let me-"

"I said no Alvin!" Brittany stands up. "I want you to leave… get out of my life and never come back," Brittany points to the front door breathing hard as she thinks about what she had just done. "I want our marriage to be over. It's just not worth it anymore!" Tears run down her cheeks as she continues to point towards the front of the house.

"You don't mean that," Alvin stands up, meeting his wife's eyes. He holds out his hands in desperation.

"I don't even remember the last time we kissed," Brittany crosses his arms, not looking her husband in the eye.

"We can kiss right now if you want to!" Alvin begs, hoping that Brittany would change her mind with all of his might.

"Get out Alvin," she turns away from him. Looking at the empty hearth, Brittany can't help but cry quiet tears. But to her horror, she hears the front door open, a rush of cold air making its way into the warm house. The door closes quietly, making Brittany turn back. Alvin was nowhere to be seen. He's really gone… the love of her life is gone and there is no getting him back. No, Brittany had to be strong. She lets out a shaky breath and climbs the stairs slowly.

Alvin walks across the lonely street with his hands in his pockets and his head hung low as he tramps through Theodore's front lawn. Flowers droop over the walkway making Alvin step on a few buds as he jumps over the flower bed. He knocks on the bright green door, leaning over to look in the window. A couple pairs of little feet come running for the door and another louder pair.

Theodore opens the door and looks at Alvin with his mouth in a hard line. Theodore knew this day was coming for over a year now. The Seville family had tried to be excited for Alvin's new singing career but in reality, everyone knew that the different career path would be a strain on the couple's marriage. Especially when Brittany started complaining to Theodore's wife about how much Alvin stresses her out day after day… truly, it was all just a matter of time.

"Alvin," Theodore sighs and opens the door wider for his brother to enter the warm house. The sweet smell of baked goods and fresh laundry hits Alvin full force as he enters the house. He nods to his brother in response, giving him a little half smile. "Alvin… what happened?"

"Thing fell through Theo… and it's all my fault," Alvin falls into a chair by the crackling fireplace as Eleanor ushers all seven kids up the stairs and towards their bedrooms. "I just don't know what to do about it anymore… she didn't even give me a chance."

"Do you really think you deserve one?" Theodore shrugs.

"I just need one more chance," Alvin stares at his little brother. "Just one more chance to show Britt and the kids how much I love them… just one more."

"And then what?" Theodore sits in the chair next to Alvin. "Go back to the stage, get drunk and become another anchor on her already stressful life?"

"Her life isn't that stressful," Alvin argues, making Theodore shake his head.

"Walk a day in Britt's shoes. Wake up to a drunk spouse, get ready, clean the house and feed four kids by yourself then after all that is finished by eight you'll drive to three different schools so that you can help your brother and sister take care of their seven kids. Then _after all of that_ you put on the stresses of making more food, doing laundry and making sure your spouse is ready for a concert that you don't even approve of. Then-"

"Okay!" Alvin yells. "I get it, alright?"

"I'm glad," Theodore looks back at Alvin. "I can't imagine what Brittany's feeling right now. Eleanor and I talk every day, split the housework, and take care of our children together. Doing that all alone…"

"It's not like she asks me for help!"

"She shouldn't have to!"

"I'm going to make it up to her… somehow," Alvin balls his hands into fists and rests them on the arms of the chair. "H-hey Theo?"

"What?"

"Is your couch vacant tonight?"

"Thankfully, yes," Theodore smirks at his brother and gets up to walk up the stairs. He glances over his shoulder to watch Alvin hold his head in his head in his hands. _Poor guy is finally getting what he asked for._ Theodore climbs the stairs and joins his wife in their bedroom.

Saturday morning comes all too quickly. Brittany practically shoves all four kids out of the door. AJ yawns as he walks between his sisters to the car, only wearing a pair of sweat pants that droop in the back revealing a pair of red soccer shorts. His jersey and his cleats draped across his shoulders. Alisha stands to his right wearing a red and white cheerleading uniform with her auburn hair in a bouncy ponytail. Usually the cheerleading squad wouldn't cheer for the soccer team but the coach thought it would be nice to pep up the crowd during the State Championship. On AJ's left walks Carman with a GO TEAM sweatshirt and ripped jeans. Behind all three of them bounces Lil with her trainer cheer uniform that Brittany made her last fall for Halloween and she shiny auburn hair swinging back and forth in high pig tails.

Brittany glances across the street as Eleanor packs up her minivan. "See you at the game!" she shouts excitedly. "Score for us AJ!"

AJ rolls his eyes at his former soccer star aunt.

The family drives the short distance to the high school. While AJ splits off from his family to join his team while the three of them climb into the stands. Alisha joins other uniformed girls and boys while Carman sits with a scary looking group. Brittany knows as much as they talk about bad things, every single one of those kids has a good soul. Brittany smiles, feeling Lil's hand slip into hers as she makes her way towards her usual seat in the bleachers.

"Is this seat taken?" she asks a man sitting by her usual spot. A jacket is draped over the seat that Brittany would have usually sat in.

"Not at all."

Brittany takes a double take when she hears the man speak. She sits down, Lil on her other side as the team warms up for the big game. Brittany glances at the man from the corner of her eye, taking in his appearance. Loose fitting jeans, a red t-shit and a tattered cap cocked slightly to the side. The guy dresses as if he were in his early twenties but in reality he looks more like he was on the verge of forty. "A-Alvin?" her voice comes out scratchy and low.

"Daddy!" Lil bounces next to her side.

"Hey kid," Alvin smiles at his daughter. He looks up at his wife's disbelieving eyes that watch his every movement. "Brittany, just please come to tonight's concert."

"Why would I want to come to your dumb concert and listen to 80's music for two hours… it would be pointless for me? Do you know how many other things I have to get done today?" Brittany looks at him with fire in her eyes.

"Come on Britt," he pleads. "Just this once?" Brittany shifts her eyes from side to side unsure of what to do. A light nudge from her left makes her jump. She looks down at Lil who is smiling at her father, then back up at her mom.

Brittany looks around the soccer field as the boys come running out of the locker room. AJ fist bumps his cousin (Simon's son) before running off to the sidelines. Brittany glances back at her husband to watch a confused expression come across his features. AJ is starter striker, he should be out there! But what AJ does next makes her smile warmly at her son.

AJ takes both of his hands and grabs a blond chipette by her cheeks and gives her a passionate kiss before she whispers something in his ear and he runs onto the field with a broad smile plastered on his face. Joseph, Simon's kid, punches AJ in the arm and no doubt telling the lover boy to get his head in the game.

With happiness for her son swelling in her chest, Brittany breaks down and agrees softly. "Just this once."

Later that night at the concert Brittany pushes past person after person as she makes her way to the five reserved seats up front for her and her family. Alvin eventually enters from backstage and gives the crowd a funny little bow before he begins the show. He sings songs that his brothers and him used to sing when they were younger and other songs that he must have come up with himself. Alisha and Lil seem to get a kick out of seeing their dad on stage singing his heart out and having the time of his life while AJ and Carman practically glare at their father.

"Now comes the special part of the show," Alvin says into the microphone as the show comes to a close. "Tonight is the night that I end my singing career… for good this time," Brittany, AJ, and Carman lean forward in their seats, suddenly very interested in what the chipmunk had to say. "But before I go, I want to sing one more song… will you please come up to the stage Brittany Seville?"

Brittany freezes in her spot as Alvin holds out his hand to her. He watches her reaction with a smirk on his lips. Alisha and AJ push her towards the stage, making her stumble towards her husband. Alvin smiles and takes her hands as she climbs up and onto the stage.

A backstage crewman hands him a guitar and he strums it once, looking at Brittany with a smile on his lips. Brittany stands awkwardly on stage, not knowing what to do with herself. As a kid, Brittany Miller was always the center of the spotlight and loved every second of it.

Without warning, Alvin slams on the guitar and the stage explodes with lights. Two voices behind them sing a harmonized "Woo Hoo Hooooo! Woo hoo hooooo!"

Brittany turns around as two platforms rise onto the stage and Simon and Theodore wink at her. Theodore smiles, drum sticks in hand as Simon begins to play the bass looking as if he had no idea why he agreed to this. Brittany laughs at the brothers as they begin to sing with Alvin.

"_Britt just hit the wall, she never had it all. One Prozac a day, husband's a CPA," _Alvin smirks, pointing to his chest with his thumbing making Brittany giggle. "_Her dreams went out the door_, _when she turned 24._ _Only been with one man_, _what happened to her plan?"_

_She was gonna be an actress_

_She was gonna be a star_

_She was gonna shake her ass_

_On the hood of White Snake's car_

_Her yellow SUV is now the enemy_

_Looks at her average life_

_And nothing, has been..._

_all right since_

_Bruce Springsteen, Madonna_

_Way before Nirvana_

_There was U2 and Blondie_

_And music still on MTV_

_Her three kids in high school_

_They tell her that she's uncool_

_Cuz she's still preoccupied_

_With 19, 19, 1985_

_Woo Hoo Hooooo!_

_(1985)_

_Woo Hoo Hooooo!_

_She's seen all the classics_

_She knows every line_

_"Breakfast Club", "Pretty In Pink"_

_Even "St. Elmo's Fire"_

_She rocked out to Wham!_

_Not a big Limp Bizkit fan_

_Thought she'd get a hand_

_On a member of Duran Duran_

_Where's the mini-skirt made of snakeskin?_

_And who's the other guy that's singing in Van Halen?_

_When did reality become T.V.?_

_What ever happened to sitcoms, game shows, on the radio?_

_Springsteen, Madonna_

_way before Nirvana_

_There was U2 and Blondie_

_And music still on MTV_

_Her three kids in high school_

_They tell her that she's uncool_

_Cuz she's still preoccupied_

_With 19, 19, 1985_

_Woo Hoo Hooooo!_

_She hates time, make it stop_

_When did Motley Crue become classic rock?_

_And when did Ozzy become an actor?_

_Please make this stop, stop, STOP(tick tick tick) and bring back_

_Springsteen, Madonna_

_way before Nirvana_

_There was U2 and Blondie_

_And music still on MTV_

_Her three kids in high school_

_They tell her that she's uncool_

_Cuz she's still preoccupied_

_With 1985_

_Woo Hoo Hooooo!_

Alvin smiles as he glances at his wife bopping her head and smiling that beautiful smile that Alvin missed so much. Swaying his hips, Alvin leans the microphone towards Brittany. She doesn't think twice as she sings with the boys. _"Springsteen, Madonna, way before Nirvana there was U2 and Blondie, and music still on MTV (Woohoo) Her three kids in high school, they tell her that she's uncool (1985). Cuz she's still preoccupied with 19, 19, 1985!"_

The crowd cheers the couple on making both of them break out into radiant smiles. Simon and Theodore come up from either side of them and place their arms around Alvin and Brittany's shoulders. "I missed that," Theodore admits.

"Me too," Simon laughs, squeezing his brother's shoulders. The crowd dies down and Simon and Theodore retreat backstage to meet their wives who give them encouraging hugs. Jeanette caresses Simon's cheek while Eleanor takes the plunge, kissing Theodore passionately on the lips.

"Don't make this number eight," Simon smirks at his little brother. Jeanette punches his chest laughing as Eleanor winks at her husband.

Back on stage, Alvin takes his wife's hand and leads her to center stage. "I met Brittany on September 17, 1983. I hated her for less than twenty minutes before she became my best friend for life," Alvin tells the crowd, giving Brittany a half smile as he did so. She stares back at him, hope and happiness lifting in her chest for the first time in months. "It only took me fourteen years to realize that I was madly, almost obsessively, in love with her," Alvin smiles at his wife, letting out all of his feelings to the entire world. "It took weeks just convince her to go out on a date with me. She never thought much of me… I was just some failure in a broken up band on my way to crunch numbers for clients I cared nothing about. There was no reason for Brittany Miller to go on a date with someone like me… but for some reason, I never really figured out why, she said yes. I only went on two dates with before I knew that I wanted her in my life forever. I loved every second of our life together… but things started getting harder and harder. I missed my past. I missed the 80's. I missed being a kid without a care in the world with my brothers and Dave to back me up," Alvin sighs. "Do you understand… why I ran?"

"I understand," Brittany whispers. "But that doesn't negate the fact that you left your family behind," tears form at the corners of Brittany's eyes, so many emotions swirling around inside her heart.

"And that's my biggest regret," he takes the guitar off his shoulder and sets down on the ground. "It's not my time to be a star," he looks down at the guitar. "That's for me to pass on to my four favorite kids," he smiles as his kids jump up on the stage. They automatically, out of habit; stand in a line according to age. Alvin takes Carman's hand. "My first born," he smiles. "You were always the rebel and I never understand where you got it from," Alvin smirks at his daughter. She laughs and moves out of the way to let Alisha hug her dad. The two stay like that for a minute before Alvin says "Ally, the sweet and gentle one. You remind me so much of my baby brother and it made smile to watch you grow up into such a caring and beautiful young lady." Alisha plants a light kiss on Alvin's cheek and steps out of the way for AJ, but Lil runs into her father's arms instead. "Hey bug."

"Hi daddy," she giggles back. She takes his red cap off of his head and places it on her own. "Look daddy! I'm just like you!" she beams. Squirming out of his reach, Lil joins her sisters, suddenly conscious of the world looking at her.

"AJ," Alvin takes his son's shoulder and shakes him roughly making a smile break out across AJ's face. "My name's sake and look alike… must be why you get all the ladies," Alvin smirks. "Thanks for taking care of you mom and sisters while I was gone. I'll never leave you like that again."

"Well, this is touching," AJ rubs the back of his neck shifting his blue eyes across the crowd at some of the giggling teenage girls in the large room. AJ scoots back to join his sisters, making his parents laugh.

"So what do you say Britt?" he looks her in the eye. "Do I get to come home?"

"What are you going to do… I mean, when you get home… If I let you home?"

"Well, there's an opening at the elementary school for an arts director," Alvin grins. "Maybe I'll finally get put on Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hide," Alvin smirks, remembering Brittany dressed up as a tree for the play that got ruined way back then. "And maybe I'll write songs… like Dave did in my spare time."

"I couldn't think of anything better," Brittany smiles, touching his cheek lightly.

"So I'm in?"

Brittany responds with one passionate kiss.

**~Meh... do you realize how long this took me? "Oh, I'll write a short one-shot to make myself happy" Ohh no. :I**

**ANYWAYS, this idea has been rattling around in my brain for some time now and I thought it was finally time to write it :) Given the fact that I don't know what to write for my next chapter of _Bon Voyage!_ Meh. Life sucks. But it shall get better! I've been wanting to portray the Seville kids for a long time and I'm just glad that I finally got to do it =]**

**Enjoy and REVIEW :D**


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